Diabetic Retinopathy: Causes, Stages, and Prevention

The leading cause of blindness affecting all diabetics (type 1 and type 2), is diabetic retinopathy. Although people with diabetes may face several eye problems like glaucoma or cataracts, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness. Overtime it damages the retina and occurs when blood vessels swell, leak, or close which stops the blood from passing through. Left untreated, it can cause vision loss or even blindness.

Because there are usually no symptoms in the early stages, you can have it and not even know it. For this reason, it’s important to understand how you can prevent it. In this article we will explain what diabetic retinopathy is, what causes it, the stages of it, and how to prevent it (diabetic eye exams).

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy an eye disease that can cause vision loss or blindness. It occurs when long periods of high blood sugar damage the blood vessels in the retina. These damaged blood vessels can leak blood and other fluid causing the retinal tissue to swell. When this happens, it causes cloudy or blurry vision.

Those who develop diabetic retinopathy, usually don’t even know it. It can affect both eyes. And, the longer someone has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop it. What’s important to make note of here, is that it can be detected during a diabetic eye exam.

What Causes Diabetic Retinopathy?

The disease is a result of damage caused by high blood glucose levels. When they are elevated for too long, it can weaken and damage the small blood vessels within the retina. When this happens, fluid can leak into the macula causing it to swell, resulting in blurry vision.

What Are The Four Stages Of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Because it is a progressive eye disease it moves from mild to moderate, and then from the severe stage to the advanced stage. In the first stage (mild), tiny blood vessels within the retina leak blood or fluid. Because there are usually no symptoms in this stage, people usually don’t even know they have it.

It then progresses to the second stage (moderate), the vessels in the retina swell. This means, they may not carry blood as well as the use to. Reaching this stage means you have a greater chance it will affect your vision.

The disease then progresses to the next stage (severe). At this stage, the blood vessels become even more blocked. As a result, even less blood goes to the retinas. This lack of blood then triggers a signal to create new blood vessels which result in blurry vision or seeing eye floaters. If you reach this stage, there is a very high chance you will lose your vision.

The final stage is the most advanced, vessels grow in the retinas (and into gel) that fills the eyes. These vessels often bleed and cause scar tissue. When this happens, you run the risk of a retinal detachment. Which can lead to permanent vision loss.

Important to make note of, diabetic retinopathy is preventable. But the only way to prevent it, is by having your eye doctor exam your eyes every year. By taking this measure, you reduce your risk of ever getting it.

Diabetic Eye Exams at Murata Eyecare

As a patient with diabetes, you are predisposed to eye diseases. Because symptoms may not develop until the disease becomes severe, early detection through regular screening is important. An annual diabetic eye exam will help to detect any eye problems at their early stages, when they’re most treatable. This should include a comprehensive eye exam, including dilation, every year. Treating diabetic eye disease is easiest when caught early. If you would like to book a diabetic eye exam or have more questions, contact our office at (805) 522-7007.